Axel, Brother of Two
by Wapan
Summary: This is a story about Axel when he is turned into a Nobody. As he gets older, new members join the Organization while others that were dear to his Somebody, Lea, pass on and are forgotten.
1. Lea: Lost

Dear Thena,

I don't mean to bother or trouble you...I mean, with my pointless letter. But I thought you might care how I'm doing. How am I doing? Actually, I'm really confused. I can't explain this strange sensation...I feel empty. It's really new and strange. I feel like nobody. Like I'm just here with no purpose or emotion. Like I don't belong with other people. I'm not sure where I am. It's nothing like Chicago here. I feel so lost. I really hope that I can find out where I am by asking around. But there are no people in sight. I guess I'll just keep travelling until I finally find someone to tell me where I am in hopes of sending this to you, Thena. That's all I have to say for now. Please respond so I know nothing happened to you like what happened you me.

Love,

Lea

_There_, thought Lea. _I'm finally done. _Lea had written "Love" simply as a formality. He didn't really feel it. He couldn't. _Now I need to send one to Peter_. And he started writing again. He wrote the same thing for his brother. He wished they would get these letters. They were all he had now. He started running in a random direction. _There's bound to be a town sooner or later_, he thought. Lea did a lot of thinking. He wasn't necessarily a silent type. He just didn't have anyone to tell his thoughts to, and didn't want to waste his breath. He started getting tired. _Why is it so gosh dang deserted out here? _He didn't know. He didn't care, either. He couldn't care. Finally, he saw a bar on the horizon. Sure to be a city skyline. Not just a city, but a big one. With suburbs and taxis and those hot dog stands on the corners. He wondered why it was randomly there in the middle of the nothing he was running across. He stopped. He looked to his left and saw a lush forest. He looked to his feet and saw grass. He looked to the sky and saw clouds. But then he looked to his right. Barely visible, there was a road. And cars buzzing across so silently he couldn't hear. They were that far away. He hoped that these cars were headed to the very city he longed for. Chicago. That's where Peter and Thena were. He hoped and continued on to the city.

About an hour later, after breaks of walking and sitting, Lea was in the city. He read the clock up above. 1:44 PM. That meant he had plenty of time to find the post office. He walked past windows that were mirrors on the storefronts. He stopped and looked at himself for the first time since he woke up, and rubbed his eyes. He walked up to a window and stared hard at himself. _What the cake is that? _he thought. He rubbed his cheeks. No good. He looked at his hands. Then the germiphobe reluctantly licked them. He rubbed his cheeks again, but no such luck. They were tattooed. Stained. Unremovable. The black, upside-down teardrops were stuck to his face. He sighed to himself and treaded on.

Lea found a post office at last and learned where he was. It was a city called New Life. "What state?" he asked the woman behind the counter. "State? Ha!" she laughed. "What in the name of Joe is a state?" And then Lea knew. This world was not his own. He wouldn't be able to mail Thena and Peter their letters. They wouldn't be able to know where to find each other. "Wait," said Lea. "How many cities are in this world? Do you know, erm..." He squinted at the name tag. "Jeanette?" "Well," said Jeanette. "There is only one on this world. That's New Life. But there are three on the other worlds, I believe." "Other worlds?" Lea was confused. Then someone in a black cloak walked into the post office.

It was a man with a handsome face, but his hair was gray and his eyes an amber-yellow. The mystery man held up a small, red, beeping device and looked at it. "Hello, there," said the man. "My name is classified. And you, redhead?" Lea looked at the man sarcastically. "I'm hungry," he said. "Then you should come with me." The man reached and lifted Lea by his soft-orange vest. Then he pressed a button on the red device and the woman passed out. He put it in his pocket and reached again, this time opening a sort of portal. He started to go through. All the while, Lea was screaming things such as "I have to find them!" or "Let go you big monster!" But the man proceeded.

Lea woke up in a strange room. It was painted white. "Ouch..." he groaned. He was on a really tough mattress. It was white too. Everything was white. He looked down to the foot of the bed. He was wearing black boots with silver soles. He got off the bed and looked in a mirror. He was wearing a cloak just like the mystery man's. He looked at the door. The sign above it read "VIII."_ Eight_? thought Lea. _What does THAT mean_? So he walked out and ran into a blue-haired boy.

The boy looked about Lea's age. And really familiar. "Lea?" asked the boy. "Is that you?" How did this guy know Lea? He didn't know. "How do you know me?" The boy stared at Lea. "Oh, Lea. I thought you'd have this face memorized by now. After all, you made me memorize yours. And I'm your best friend." Lea remembered in a flash everything that happened in Chicago. The man with a knife-gun, his siblings, his best friend. "Isa?" "Yeah." Then Lea was his old self in a way. "Isa, it's rather careless to get dragged into this sort of thing. How'd you manage, you blue-headed control freak?" "Well...I kind of lost control..." Then Lea looked closely at his best friend's face for the first time. There was a big "X" across the center. "Isa...I wish I could be sorry." Then Isa said, "Come on. We have to go." And he pulled Lea down the hall by his hood. This was the only normal thing that had happened, so Lea didn't say anything.

"There you are." It was the man from the post office. "Thank you, Saïx. You can go." Isa dropped Lea's hood and went back down the hall. "Ow!" shouted Lea as his head hit the floor. The echoes in the hallway were startling. "Lea, I believe?" asked the man. "I hope so. If not then Saïx is more stupid than I thought." "Saïx? Why do you call him Saïx? Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here?" Lea didn't like this setup at all. "I'm Xemnas. You're Axel. Welcome to Organization XIII, currently standing at eight members and two decoys. You are the eighth member. Element, fire. Weapon, chakrams." "What does this all mean? Why am I so empty?" "You're a Nobody now. Lea is dead. Therefore, you're Axel." "Who are the decoys?" "Two Nobodies with no potential in ranking in the Organization. Expert and Xanthe." "Expert? What kind of name is that?" "I'll see you around, Axel." Then Xemnas left.


	2. Zexion, Muzix, and Demyx

_Well, this sucks_, thought Axel. _I'm part of some organization I know nothing about_. "Axel, right?" Another somewhat familiar face. Oh, yes. This was the strange boy Lea had seen before he was Axel. The boy who always stayed indoors and occasionally looked out the window. "Yeah," said Axel. The boy was shorter than Axel had guessed he was. "You're...er..." "Zexion," said the boy. "I'm Zexion." "Can I help you?" "Well...I don't have any friends in the Organization. Nobody likes me." "That's ironic." "Can we be friends, Axel?" The shy boy was serious and afraid at the same time. "Sure," Axel said. "I'm not sure I have any either." "What about Saïx?" "He seems different...I'm just not sure." Then an alarm went off. It sounded nine times. Then Xemnas announced:

"Nobodies of The World That Never Was, I have important news. Number IX has been found. The new recruit, going by the name of Demyx, is extremely lazy, so everyone show him what it takes if he doesn't want to be a decoy."

"Look at that, six, seven, eight, and nine all in the same day," said Zexion. "I wonder if that's how the Organization always works." He looked at the redhead. "You're familiar, Axel." "Yeah, you too." "Are you from Chicago?" whispered Zexion. Axel whispered back, "Yes. Why do we have to whisper?" Zexion looked left and right. He spun three-sixty and then whispered, "So are the decoys. Wanna see them?" Axel was shocked. So that was five Chicagans in the same building. And they might all be connected like Axel, Saïx, and Zexion. "Yes!" he shout-whispered. Zexion gave a follow-me gesture, and they walked down to the basement.

"Hey, Expert. Xanthe," said Zexion with a childish smile. _How did this shy, kiddish, boy get a higher rank than me_? thought Axel, guessing that's how the numbers worked. "Hey, Axel. What's that?" Zexion pointed to Axel's pocket. His letters! "Oh, those are for my brother and sister. I needed to know-" He stopped as Expert and Xanthe stepped in from the other room. "-they were ok." "Lea? Is that you?" asked Expert. Axel responded, "Peter? Thena?" It was a family reunion in the Nobody realm. "You guys are ok!" "Where were you, Lea?" asked Xanthe. "Wait...I don't care." "It's ok. I don't either," said Axel. "And you don't either, do you P-...Expert?" He had to get used to these names. He couldn't explain it, but he didn't want anybody to know they knew each other. "Nope," said Expert. "Couldn't care less." "It's so cool that you guys know each other from Somebody days," said Zexion. "I didn't know anyone. I just watched kids play out the window while Even taught me sciences." "I remember you, Ienzo." Zexion was shocked. "B-but nobody knew my name! How did you?" "Well, it wasn't hard to ask Even who the boy that never played was." "I see...oh! I need to go. Bye!" Then Zexion ran back up the stairs leaving the siblings on their own. "I'll see you guys later," said Axel. "And by the way, the name's Axel. Got it memorized?" The siblings nodded annoyingly at Axel's catchphrase. Why did he have to carry it with him to Nobodyhood? They turned and went to their rooms.

Axel was confused even more. He had so many quesitons. _What is a Nobody? Why am I here? Thena and Peter..._"Knocky knocky!" shouted an unfamiliar voice. It startled Axel, causing him to sit up quickly. "Who is it?" asked Axel. "What do you want?" "It's me! I'm comin' in, 'kay?" And the voice formed a person bursting through the door. It was a strange girl with teal hair and a dress on to match. "Hiya! Axel, right?" _How many people are going to ask me that? _"Yeah, you found the right guy. Now who are you?" The girl smiled, something nobody had done yet since Axel had woken up. "The name's Muzix!" "Muzix? What in the...?" Axel was really confused now. Why did everyone have such a wierd name in this place? "Well, I kinda got my name from the word 'music.' And 'mizu.'" "You mean water?" "Yup! That's my element!" Muzix walked up to Axel to where their noses almost touched. "What do you do, Ax-chan?" "Chan? What are you, Wapanese?" "Well, you could say that." "Ok, Muzi-chan," he said jokingly. "I use fire." "Ooooo! That's sooooo cool, Ax-chan!" She was jumping up and down and clapping. "What's your deal?" "Well, I have one emotion left! Joy!" she laughed and clapped and bunny-hopped some more. Axel wasn't sure he particularly liked Muzix. "Hey, Ax-chan! Wanna play shadow?" "What?" "What?" "Hey, cut it out!" "Hey, cut it- hahah! I can't do it!" Muzix looked at a watch she had. "Oh, I gotta go! See ya, Ax-chan!"

_That was wierd. Like, really. _Axel was thinking about Muzix. He wondered if she was, maybe, number ten? He got up and looked out his window. The sky was dark and purple. There was no sun here. Only the nothingness. But what was that? Axel squinted because of his poor eyesight. "What is that glow?" he thought aloud. It was a pink piece of fuzz. He couldn't tell what it was. He looked down at the desk and saw a notebook. A red one with "VIII" etched into its cover. He picked it up and opened it. A journal. _I guess I'll write my questions in here_, he thought. And he started.

1. What exactly is a nobody?*

2. Why am I here? Where is here?

3. Why do you call him Saïx?

4. What is Muzix?

5. What are Xanthe and Expert?

6. What is that glowing thing?

Satisfied, he closed the cover and tucked the notebook in his jacket. If he needed to write something down, he could. Then he walked down the hallway and into a kitchen. Zexion was there making something. "Whacha got there, Zex-chan?" _Crap! I just nicknamed him! Stupid Muzix... _"What?" asked the confused Nobody. "Did you need something?" "I was wondering what you were making, Zexion." "Just some barley tea." "Could I have some? I'm parched." "Sure, just sit over there." Axel sat down a a round table with a tablecloth over it. It was black with silver lining. "Here you go, Axel." Zexion sat down across from the redhead with his own tea as well. "What have you been up to?" he asked, taking a delicate sip. "Well," said Axel. "You seem to know everything around here. What's with that Muzix chick?" "Oh, you met Muzix. What do you think of her? Isn't she a breath of fresh emotion?" "What?" Axel was confused yet again. It never seemed to end. So Zexion said, "Axel, I think we need to talk."

"Nobodies are beings. Not necessarily people," Zexion begain. "They are empty shells, yet they have almost all the things people need to live." "So, we're empty beings? I don't get it." "Well, there is one vital part of people we're missing. That's what sets us apart. That's what makes us impossibly alive." "Spill." "We have no heart." Axel was starting to understand. "That's why I can't care or love?" "Or anything else that involves emotion. Unless it's a heartless emotion such as anger or hate." "How do you know so much?" "Even." Then, as if on cue, a bleach-blonde walked in. "What are you two going on about?" "Vexen..." Zexion sounded kind of scared. "Are you the Even I hear so much about?" asked Axel. It seemed like a daring question. "Vexen, if you please." "Oh, sorry." "Axel, I need you to come with me. It's urgent." "'Kay." Axel got up and walked with the intimidating man to the room next to Axel's.

"So, what's up?" Axel was not about to get into something he didn't know about. Not again. "This is where that young fellow Demyx resides. You are his new...friend, if you will. Just make sure that these-" Vexen handed Axel a cloak and boots. "-get on him." Then he walked away. Axel gulped at the door. What was inside? What would happen if he didn't go in? He took a deep breath and thought a moment. If all he had to do was give Demyx the cloak and boots, how bad could it be? "Right," he said confidently. He quietly opened the door.

Demyx's room looked just like Axel's. The only thing different was the notebook. Demyx's was blue. Axel looked over to the bed where a new victim to the hard mattress lay. It was a boy who appeared a year or two older than Axel. With a mullet. Axel walked up to the boy. All he had on was a pair of black pants. _Guess this is how I was, too_. Axel painstakingly lifted Demyx's sleeping body and propped him up against the wall. He started to put on the cloak. It was harder than he thought. But somehow he managed. Axel was just about to put on Demyx's second shoe when he yawned and rubbed his eyes. Axel froze. Demyx gasped. "Wh-who are you?" asked Demyx. "Where am I? What's going on? Where's Mizu?" _Mizu...sounds familiar_. "Oh, yeah!" exclaimed Axel. "Muzix!" Demyx jumped to the floor and fell on his face from lack of balance. He_ was _missing a shoe. "Ooooohh..." "Here, let me help." Axel pulled the strange boy back to his feet. "I think I should tell you a few things. Oh, here's your shoe."

Axel told Demyx everything he had been told. "I see," said Demyx. "You think Muzix is my sister?" "Yeah." "We have to find her!" "Slow down!" Axel pulled Demyx's hood as he tried to run away. "We should ask Zexion where she is. I'm sure he knows." "We need to go _now_!" "Can't you wait till tomorrow?" "No!" "What a lie." Axel dropped the hood and Demyx fell on his face again. "Would you stop letting my face get injured?" "Not sure I can manage." "Oh, you..." "Look," Axel yawned. "It's about flipping MIDNIGHT. GO. TO. BED." He shoved Demyx to his bed and walked out the door. "Is Tired Axel a dangerous person to mess around with?" whined Demyx. "Wouldn't _you_like to know." Axel walked out and went to bed. He wasn't about to be annoyed my Muzix's maybe-brother even more.

*Axel doesn't know yet that a Nobody is a proper noun. Not a typo!


	3. Kingdom Hearts and Glasses

"Good morning..._Axel_." Axel looked up from his slumber. "What're ya doin'?" he said sleepily to his brother. "Well, I'm trying to get you up. Let's go." Expert pulled Axel up above his head with one hand. "Since when're ya so strong?" "Since just now. Come on." He dropped Axel to the floor and pushed his glasses up on his nose as people who wear them are such experts at. Axel was wide awake now. He stood up rubbing his rear end. "No need to be so harsh!" "Oh, but there was need. Come on." Expert walked out of the room, but Axel just stood there. "Come on. You're going to make me say that until it seems my catchphrase, aren't you?" Axel followed Expert out at last.

_ Where are we going_? thought Axel._ Why is he acting like this_? He didn't know. He just hoped that this would be over soon. The long walk of silence was almost too much for him. "We're here..._Axel_." Wondering why his brother always put so much stress on his new name, Axel wandered into the wide room. Saïx was standing at the window, looking out at the glowing light Axel still couldn't make out. He was almost immediately pulled over by a man with black hair pulled back into a ponytail. "You're Axel. No introduction required," he said. "What about you?" "I'm Xigbar. Let's go." Axel was pretty shocked. Why did Xigbar act so in a hurry? And where was he dragging him? "We're going to the...lab, I guess you'd call it." "Why?" "Stop asking me questions." So he shut up.

"Ahhh, Zexion. Our guest is here." Xigbar tossed Axel in the room lazily and left. "Why is he so...ugh." Axel had a headache from all the tossing and throwing and hard landing. "Well," said Vexen. "The sure sign of a busy man." Zexion was standing behind the blond looking into a microscope. He was concentrating on something. "Glasses?" asked Axel. "Who...?" "You, silly boy." "I'm finished, Vexen." Zexion looked up and looked shocked at Axel's presence. "Were you so absorbed you missed my entrance?" "I guess." Zexion walked up to Axel and put the glasses on his face. "Very nice," he said. "What do you think, Vexen?" "You did a good job, Zexion." "Let me see my own face, too!" Axel looked around for a mirror. He could see a lot better now. He found a mirror and looked at himself. He dropped the mirror and ripped off the glasses. "You guys! I look awful!" Zexion took the glasses and threw them into a trash can. "I'll get to work on some contacts." "Until then," said Vexen, picking up and dusting off the glasses. "I advise you use these. Your eyesight is worse than your looks. Now move along." And Axel was whisked back to the wide room.

"Ax-chan!" Axel was wrapped in a hug. "Well, hi to you, too." Muzix laughed. "What? What is it?" "Oh, Ax-chan! You're so kawaii in glasses!" Axel was annoyed. It's not like he could feel embarrassed or happy or anything. But his face was a little pink, for some reason. "Is that all, Muzix?" "No, silly! It's our first mission!" She smiled her evilly happy smile, the one with her pointed teeth showing. _Wait, _our _first mission_? "Well, let's go. I'm sure you can't wait." "You know it!" Muzix dragged Axel to Saïx. "We're ready!" Muzix announced. "I see," said Saïx. "Then you should be leaving." He reached and opened a portal like Xemnas had done in the post office. "Just come back alive. That's your mission. It will determine whether Axel keeps his ranks or Muzix takes his place as number VIII." Then he pushed both of them through.

Suddenly, strange white creatures surrounded Axel and Muzix. "Right! Here we go, Ax-chan!" She reached to both her sides and two teal and white chakrams appeared. Axel did the same, summoning his red and white chakrams. Muzix what jumping around and destroying the creatures, but not that quickly. Axel started as well. The motions. They were just so...natural. "Ahhhh!" Axel turned. He could see Muzix falling to the ground and being attacked by the creatures. "Muzi-chan!" Axel didn't even catch himself. He ran to her and attacked the creatures. "Get away from her!" They cleared away, and Axel knelt to Muzix's level. He offered his hand and she accepted, being pulled to her feet. "Ax...chan..." she moaned. She began to fall, but Axel knelt and layed her on the ground gently. "Are you going to give up that easily?" "Ax-chan..." "Don't 'Ax-chan' me! You can't die!" "Get...potion...Axel..." He quickly scanned the area. He spotted a small bottle. He ran toward it. He hurried back as fast as he could and lifted Muzix's head. "Drink it! Please, I'm begging you! Muzi-chan!" She smiled and sipped at the hopeful potion. She glowed green an instant and opened her eyes. "Thank you, Axel." Axel felt..._Wait, I can't feel. What am I thinking_? But he wanted to feel happy she was still alive. "Let's go home, Muzix. Wait, how do we get-" He was interrupted by a sudden burst of darkness.

Axel and Muzix were both suddenly standing in the wide room. "Why do you always have to do something stupid, Axel?" Saïx obviously didn't approve of his saving Muzix. "I don't know. I just kind of-" "Felt like it? Yeah. Don't try to pull that card, Nobody." Axel rolled his eyes.

"Number X," said Xemnas, accompanied by the ten siren blares.

"Great, another one." "Anyone know how to play poker?" The three in the room turned to see a blond shuffling a deck of cards. He was a mysterious kind of figure, with a blond goatee to match his hair. "Nobody? Ha, I do enjoy such irony," he said. He stood and walked toward Saïx. "Are you the man of the hour?" he asked. "I guess I have to deal with you. What did Xemnas tell you?" "Who? The old man? He said to talk to Saïx, if I'm not mistaken." "That's me." "What luck." "Now, who are you?" "Dulor." "What a strange name...Luxord will be your new one." "Luxord...I kind of like that." The Nobody smiled. Then he turned and left. "What a creeper," said Muzix. She hugged Axel with her eyes closed tightly and a frown donning her face. "Don't you think so, Ax-chan?" He paused, considering the glare he'd probably get. Then he looked at Muzix's face. "Sure," he said. He pulled Muzix's arms from his torso and walked out of the room.

Axel pulled out his notebook. He read over the questions. He wrote a few answers.

1. What exactly is a nobody?*

A being without a heart.

2. Why am I here? Where is here?

3. Why do you call him Saïx?

Everyone in the organization gets a new name.

4. What is Muzix?

A decoy, I think. She has no rank.

5. What are Xanthe and Expert?

For sure decoys.

6. What is that glowing thing?

He was feeling kind of dumb about the sixth one. He should've asked Saïx. He would look as dumb as he felt if he went back now. So he went to find Zexion. _I really rely on this kid too much_, he thought as he opened Zexion's door."Zexion?" "Over here." Axel walked over to the boy staring out the window drinking tea. Barley tea, Axel presumed. "Hey, Zexion. Can I ask you something?" "You're contacts aren't finished." "No, it's something else. What is that glowing thing in the sky?" Zexion took a sip of his tea, then replied, "Kingdom Hearts." Axel jotted it down. "Wait, what is Kingdom Hearts?" "It's a powerful force. Vexen is still researching it, so I still don't know much." "I see." "But," said Zexion, making a come here gesture. Axel leaned down to the sitting Zexion. "I research on my own in secret, and I think I might have found something, but I can't tell Vexen." "Why?" "It needs more investigation so I can be sure it's true first. It's pretty big." Then Zexion stood up and looked at Axel. "Kingdom Hearts. I think...it can make us back into people," he whispered. "What?" Axel was more surprised at this than at anything else that had happened. The door was opening. "Axel, I already told you, your contacts aren't ready yet," acted Zexion. Axel caught on quick. "Fine, then. Just try to hurry." He walked out of the room and passed Vexen, who didn't know what he might be in for.

_Is Kingdom Hearts really that powerful_? "Woah!" Axel collapsed to the floor, face first. "Hey, don't you think I've had enough for a day?" "Wish I was sorry Ax-chan!" "Oh. _That's_ who _attacked_ me." Suddenly a weight was lifted off of Axel's back. He got up and looked at Muzix. She had her usual smile, the evilly happy one. Axel almost smiled back, but he couldn't. He wasn't happy. He couldn't be happy. Muzix suddenly gasped and fell down to her hands and knees. She was breathing heavily. Then she started coughing blood. "Muzix?" Axel got down in the same pose. "Muzix, what's going on?" "Ax-chan..." She coughed some more. "I think...I'm dying..." "Why would you do that to me?" Axel was now surprised with himself. But he couldn't take the words back. "Ax-chan...please...here..." She started coughing harder as she handed him the necklace she was wearing. He had never noticed the miniature teal and white chakram around her neck. She kept it hidden in her cloak. "Remember...don't...trust...Xem...nas...goodbye...Axel..." Muzix stopped coughing and fell to the ground. "Muzix!" Axel yelled. "No!" He lifted her head. Her mouth was dripping the blood she coughed. Axel didn't know what to do. He looked up and felt the anger deep inside of him coming out.

"Really, she was too big of a distraction. Keep your mind on your true goals..._Axel_." Expert looked totally cool, leaning against the white wall with his arms crossed. "How could you...you...you monster!" "Monster? Ha. What difference does it make to you if she's dead? It's not like you can care." Xanthe was walking past in another hall and heard the two brothers. "What are you two fighting ab-" She stopped. She looked at the dead girl in her brother's arms. She looked at Axel's red face and Expert's cool one. "Expert...I think...that just maybe..." she whispered into Expert's ear. He smirked. "Yeah, right." He stood up straight and walked away, arms still crossed. Xanthe went to Axel. "Look, I know this hurts." "No, it doesn't." "Axel, it's ok." "No, it's not." "Axel, you need to let her go." "No, I don't!" Axel looked at Muzix's white face. "How did he do this?" "It's his power. He can create this painful death for anyone." "What's your power?"

Xanthe paused. "Heart," she said at last. "Maybe I accidentally gave you one." "You're joking." "Well, it's true. In a way. I can create false hearts that act with real emotions. But only a few," she said solemnly. "The only ones I've mastered are happiness and sadness." "So you can take emotions and put them into hearts...and put them into nobodies?" Xanthe nodded. "I think that's why Xemnas put me into the Organization." "Wow. I have a cool little sister." He smiled at her. "Come on, let's get your friend a proper burial." Then Axel frowned and even got a tear in each of his eyes as he looked at Muzix. "Yeah," he said. He looked back up. "Let's." Xanthe took Muzix from her brother's arms so he could stand. Then the two went off to do what Xanthe had said. Axel and Xanthe had a funeral for Muzix. They told Xemnas after the funeral that she had died. "Then Axel is the strongest," he said, unfased. The two emotion Nobodies turned, trying to justify Xemnas by telling themseles he has no emotions as they do.

"Goodnight, Xanthe. And thanks," said Axel, smiling. "No problem," his sister replied. "We're in this thing together." Then she left, probably, Axel thought, to face Expert. Axel went over to the window and looked at Kingdom Hearts, sitting in the dark sky. He stared for a while, thinking about Xanthe's power. He hoped her power could give his brother a heart. He didn't know how much longer he could stand him without one. He hoped that all three of them could have their hearts back, and live in Chicago, and laugh together. Axel finally retreated to his bed. He had too much to do tomorrow to have lack of sleep bringing him down.

*Hey guys! There shouldn't be any typos in here. If there are, it's because Axel doesn't know about the capitalization of Nobody or Organization. Expect a new chapter often, by the way. I'm a pretty fast writer if I want to be. ^_^


	4. Emotions and Dreams

Axel sighed. He didn't want to do this. But he convinced himself he had to. He slowly raised his fist and knocked on Demyx's door. "Who is it?" "Axel." "Come on in." Axel walked in hoping he could bear this. He somehow thought Demyx would get upset. He tried to remind himself Demyx has no emotion. "Hey Axel, have you seen Muzix today?" Axel froze. "No," he finally replied. "Demyx, we need to talk." He tried to tell Demyx in the least painful way possible. "I see," Demyx said. "I guess I'm on my own now." "Not really. I'm still here." "Thanks, Axel." Then the two said goodbye and Axel left quickly. He didn't want Demyx to see the tears growing in his eyes.

"Axel!" He looked and saw his sister running toward him. "Come quick!" She pulled the redhead with her to her quarters in the basement. He hadn't been here since his first day of Nobodyhood. "Xanthe, what's up?" "I got a new one," she replied. Before Axel could ask, Xanthe picked up a pink notebook. She opened it to about the third page and skimmed the chicken scratch. "Here," she said. "Read in your head." The page was all about relief. "I guess I could be your guinea pig," Axel said. "Go for it." Xanthe nodded and took the notebook. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She placed her hand on Axel's chest and pushed. Axel didn't know whether to scoot back or push back. Then he felt it. He felt relieved. Because Xanthe was there. Expert hadn't killed her. "Well," said Axel. "It works." "Thanks, I'll get right to work on some more. Axel, we'll have hearts again." 'Yeah." And he left quickly once again.

Axel wasn't sure what would happen next. He went to talk to Zexion. Although he wanted to wear the glasses to commemerate the death of who seemed his closest friend, he couldn't wear them on missions much more. They would fall off and get broken for sure. "Axel. Come in." Curiously, Axel walked into the dark room. Zexion was staring out the window drinking tea again. He seemed to do that a lot. "Your contacts are ready." Zexion stood and went over to a table. He picked up a small case. He walked up to Axel and lifted the case. "They're in here." Axel took the case. "Thanks, Zexion." As he left to put them in, Zexion warned, "Don't wear them to sleep, whatever you do."

Axel put his contacts in and immediately noticed the strange color. His eyes were usually a lme green, but now they were more light green with a hint of blue. He shrugged off this problem when someone knocked on the door. "Come in." Demyx walked in. "Muzix is dead, but I don't care. I want to, but I can't!" "I'm sorry. But you don't want to care as much as you think you do." "What makes you say that?" About then, Numbers XI and XII were introduced into the Organization. "Two at the same time. We'll run out of space at this rate," said Axel. "Oh, Demyx. I have a secret to tell you. I trust you like I trusted your sister." Axel told Demyx about his own sister, and the emotions inside of him. "Trust me, Dem. It sucks that we lost her, but you shouldn't have to feel this pain." "I see." And Demyx left without another word. _Something is wrong with him_, thought Axel. _Really_.

Bored out of his flipping mind, Axel took a big sniff of the air around him. "Man, oh man." He stood and went into the shower. Not even a Nobody should be aloud to smell _that _bad. He got out and searched for a clean cloak in his closet. He finally found one and sprayed on a weak cologne. He didn't need to come on that strong. He just needed to be accepted by the emotionless shells, even though it made no sense. Still bored, he roamed out of his door.

_Wonder if Xanthe's already got anything new_, he thought as he walked down the hall. He passed by two new Nobodies, one a blonde and one a...pink head. The blonde took a huge whiff of Axel. "You actually smell_ good_," she commented. "Nobody else seems to." The pink head started tapping his toe. "Are you finished, Larxene?" "If I didn't know better, I say you're jealous." The two walked away. "Larxene, huh? Name's Axel. Got it memorized?" "Whatever." Larxene was just so...ugh. Remembering his task, Axel trudged down to the basement. "You have work to do..._Axel_." "Shut up, Expert. I'm sick of your annoying morals." Axel walked past his brother who could kill in an instant. "You know," said Expert. "I'd kill you right now if I wasn't so busy." And he left.

Axel knocked on Xanthe's door. "Yeah," she answered. He opened the door and saw her writing in her notebook. "How goes it, sis?" "Oh, Axel. What a nice surprise." She smiled. Axel closed the door behind him. "You see," Xanthe said. "I've been in here all morning working on a really important emotion." She wrote a few words and said, "Love." "Oh, really? That's neat." Axel layed down on his sister's bed and looked at her, writing away at her little desk. "Hey, Xanthe?" "Hm?" "What do you think it's like...love, I mean." "Well," she started. "It's kind of embarrassing...I was in love once, when we lived in Chicago, but...oh, I can't tell you!" Axel sat up in anticipation. "You have to! The suspense is killing me! Who was it?" Xanthe sighed. "Promise you won't tell?" "Cross my...er...whatever and hope to die." Xanthe giggled. "Ienzo." "Oh, that's rich!" "Axel!" She punched her brother in the arm. "Anyway," he said. "How close are you?" "I just need to find a few more answers. But they're tough equations that are almost impossible for me to solve. Love _is _the strongest emotion. Hey, Axel. You just woke up, right?" As he nodded, she asked, "Did you do your mission this morning?" Axel gave a mock apology as he ran to the wide room.

"I thought you'd never arrive." Saïx was once again irritated with Axel's behavior. "Hey, what's up, Saïx?" "Just get going." Axel was pushed through another portal. "Well, I don't see anything around here yet." He took out his notebook and added some questions.

7. What do I keep getting pushed through?

8. What is the "wide room" even called? 

9. What is this town called?

Then a giant monster appeared, forcing Axel to put away his notebook. He summoned his chakrams the way he'd learned from Muzix. Then the battle began. Axel hit the monster between the eyes, got hit with its spiked tail. Attacked the tail, got hit by its sharp claws. There was not a way for Axel to attack without getting hit back harder. He started to lose all his strength, falling to a kneeling position. "I can't...give up...Muzix wouldn't let me!" He jumped up in the air. "Don't say I didn't warn you!" He shouted. He spun his chakrams around, generating a fire. Then he shot disks of fire at the monster. That did the trick, because the monster collapsed. It glowed white and evaporated. Out of the middle rose a heart-shaped crystal. Axel asked his notebook what it was.

"So you're back." Expert was leaning against the wall when Axel returned. "Good. I think we should talk." "What do you want?" "Not here. Come on." Expert went out of the wide room and down the hallway. "Are you coming?" Axel rolled his eyes and went after his brother.

"Ok, we're in the most remote place possible. What do you want?" "Axel, I just wanted to say sorry." "What? You're _joking_." Xanthe popped her head out of her room and winked at Axel. Now he understood. "Oh," said Axel. "You're in on the deal, too." Expert nodded. "I'm not sure if I can kill another man now. Thanks for that." "What do you mean? We don't have guilt yet." "He does," said Xanthe. "I made sure of it." Expert blew his hair as many people do when angry or embarrassed. Axel laughed. "Shhh! You might get in trouble!" whispered Xanthe. "Trouble?" "Well, I haven't exactly been passing these things on to everyone. They'll be upset." Axel silenced himself. "Hey, guys," he said. "Do you think...we could pass 'em on to Demyx? Not sadness. Just everything else." "Why?" "It's our fault his sister is..." Axel couldn't finish the painful sentence. Xanthe nodded. "Yes. That will be arranged."

Axel was happy for Demyx. Literally. He went to his room to sit and look at Kingdom Hearts. He dozed off at his white desk and dreamt. About Muzix. She was smiling her toothy smile. And running toward him. But she never reached him. She was getting further away with each step. She was..."Axel! Wake up!" "Wha...?" Axel woke up with drool all over his shoulder. "That's just great." "Axel, something wierd is going on!" shouted Demyx. "I...feel!" Axel laughed. "Let's just say you know the brother of an emotionist." "Oh, thank you!" Demyx smiled for the first time since Axel had seen him. Demyx looked at his watch identical to Muzix's. "Oh, I gotta go! See ya, Axel!" Axel cinched at the familar good-bye, minus the 'chan.' But Demyx didn't see. He was gone.

As time rolled on, Axel was still staring into the nothingness outside his window. Thinking about Muzix. Until he couldn't keep his eyes open any more and retreated to his painful bed.


	5. Almost Normal and Ping Pong

Axel woke up to Demyx's face. It was there. Smiling over him. "Morning! I was just about to wake you up." "Will you please get away from me?" Axel sat up and looked at the smiling Nobody. He smiled back. Things were almost normal. "Well, I'm gonna go now. See you later!" Demyx strolled out of the room. "What a wierdo." Axel laughed. "Hmm...wonder what Zexion's doing."

"Come in, Axel." Axel did as he was told. "How do you always know it's me before I even knock?" "My power, I suppose." He set his tea on a table and looked at Axel. "Illusion...and smell." "What? Smell isn't a power." "I can pick up the scents of_ people_ and recognize them. What is it you want?" "I was just going to ask about your power. Now I know, so I have to do my mission. Later." "Bye."

_Illusion...and smell_. "Axel. Late as usual." "Saïx, stupid as usual." "Just go." Axel stepped through the portal rather than being pushed. He felt like he was important enough not to literally be pushed around. He defeated some creatures and picked up some yellow diamonds. Then he went home. Just like every other mission. He went to see his brother. He'd been doing that more now that Expert had emotions.

"Hey, Expert?" he knocked on her door, but he didn't answer. He walked across the hall to Xanthe's room. Still no answer. _They must be on a mission_. He was turning to leave when the two came down the stairs. "Oh, we're late!" Xanthe smiled a joking smile and Expert rolled his eyes. They were almost normal. "What are you guys up to?" Expert explained. "Not much. Just defeating Heartless." Axel jumped to pull out his notebook. "What's that, Axel?" Xanthe looked over his shoulder at his questions and answers. "Oh, a journal? Let me answer some of those!" She explained to Axel what to write down. And a few of his spelling mistakes.

1. What exactly is a nobody? _Nobody?_ _A being without a heart._

2. Why am I here? Where is here? _Xemnas collects Nobodies to complete Kingdom Hearts. The World That Never Was._

7. What do I keep getting pushed through? _Dark corridors_.

8. What is the "wide room" even called? _The White Area_.

9. What is this town called? _Twilight Town_.

10. What are those pink things? _Hearts_

11. The monsters are called "heartless." "_Heartless._"

"There, that should do it." "Thanks." Axel put away his notebook. Expert smiled. "My brother might have a shred of intelligence after all." "Hey!" He punched his brother in the arm. "Hey guys." Zexion was standing there all of a sudden. "What are you doing?"

The siblings stared at Zexion. "Nothing," replied Axel quickly. "Oh, I eat my words," said Expert. "Any intelligent Nobody would know that's the worst response to that question." But Axel held in the urge to give a clever comeback or joke. Zexion was there, and he couldn't see their emotions. "It's funny," said Zexion. "I smelled the lightest scent of a human down here." He shook his head. "What a foolish thing for me to believe." The siblings couldn't think of a response. "I. Still. Smell it." Zexion looked up. "It must be a trick." He faked a smile that he couldn't feel. He seemed almost normal. "I guess I'll leave now."

"That was close." Xanthe was worried. "Wait a sec," said Axel. "You guys have worry?" Xanthe nodded. "Here." She walked over and gave him a push. "Great, now I'm worried." Axel grinned. Expert rolled his eyes. "What do we do now?" Axel's stomach growled. "I have an idea," he ventured. His sister giggled and his brother nodded. They headed to the kitchen.

"I'll get it," offered Xanthe, and she went to work. Axel and Expert sat at the tableclothed table. "So," said Axel. "You guys do all your missions together?" "Missions...right." Expert pulled out a sheet of paper. "Quote: 'To the two decoys left, missions will be assigned daily. These will be performed by both of you, together. Defeat Heartless and figure out why the hearts we release are not sent to Kingdom Hearts.' Unquote." "I see. Hearts make up Kingdom Hearts." Xanthe set two plates in front of her brothers and walked to the counter to retrieve her own. "Spaghetti?" Axel looked at his sister in a questioning way. "What? I thought it was your favorite." She smiled. The three ate their dinner and laughed. They said their goodbyes and retreated to their rooms.

Axel was pretty bored. He was studying his answers. And thinking. "Knock, knock!" "Come in, Demyx." "Whatcha doing, Axel?" "Thinking." "About what?" Axel stood up and stretched. He looked at his friend. He was smiling. He was almost normal. Almost. "Well, I've been doing some thinking about this place. Anything you need to know?" "Where are we?" Axel recited, "The World That Never Was." "Why are we-" "Xemnas collects us Nobodies for the completion of Kingdom Hearts," Axel interrupted. "Apparently it will give us hearts if we complete it." "Oh, that's awesome!" "Right." Axel smiled at his happy friend. Who looked like his dead one. "Well...you want to go play ping-pong?" "I guess...we have ping-pong?" Demyx nodded. "Come on!" And Axel followed his hyperactive friend out the door.

"Alrighty, here we go!" Demyx served the ball. Axel hit in a point. "You've got to try harder," he joked. "Oh, shut up." Demyx served harder and hit past Axel. "1-1," he said triumphantly. "Not for long!" shouted Axel. The battle began. The ball bounced back and forth loudly, time and time again, attracting spectators. Xanthe, Expert, Larxene, Vexen, and Zexion were on Axel's side. Everyone else was on Demyx's. Shouts filled the ping-pong room as well as claps and the ball hitting the table. Xigbar was the referee. "Axel!" or "Demyx!" he shouted once in a while, stating the current leader. Xemnas barged into the room. "What's going on?" he shouted. Everyone froze and pointed to the ping-pongers. "Don't you know better than to play ping-pong without inviting me to watch?" Then the whole shennanigans started again.

Finally Xigbar shouted "Game point!" Then everyone got way too excited. The shouts were so loud nobody could hear themselves think. The suspense had Axel worrying about victory. Would he be looked down on if he lost to a lower rank? He prayed not, just in case he lost. Demyx tossed the ball into the air. Everything was in slow motion, and blurry. The ball was hit and the whole World That Never Was was brought back to speed. The ball volleyed back and forth for what seemed like hours. Finally, Axel got in a power hit. The ball hit in just the right place. "Winner," said Xigbar. "Axel!" Everyone cheered for Number VIII. His sister barely resisted giving him a hug. Axel could tell everyone liked him a lot better now that they knew he was good at ping-pong. He wondered if Muzix would be happy for him.

Axel layed down for the first time since he'd gotten up. He closed his eyes and thought. About The World That Never Was. About Kingdom Hearts. About ping-pong. About Demyx. About Muzix. He thought and cried his way to sleep.


End file.
